Reason To Be
by nek0-sama
Summary: Gabriella has left East High behind her for Stanford. Yet, Troy is unaffected by her absence. A pair of sparkling sky shaded eyes, and a flash of a perfect smile, and somehow everything is all right once again. Sort of AU if you know the plot of HSM3.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This is just something new I decided to try my hand at. As always, this is Tryan, Troy/Ryan slash. If you are a close-minded flamer, I recommend a distance of at least fifty-feet between you and my stories. 

Set during HSM3, around the time Troy delivers his infamous line, although sort of AU, as Troy is… unaffected by Gabriella's absence at East High… and you will soon learn why. I own nothing. 

Stage I.

Do you realize it…? 

_You don't know, do you? The things you do to me? The way you're slowly breaking away at the barriers that keep me at bay… The barriers that keep me from you. The more you chisel away, the more my lust, my longing, my _need _for you grows…_

_Soon, I won't be able to hold back. And I'll have to take all of you…_

"Mr. Evans, don't you agree?"

Ryan Evans stared blankly at the old woman, unaware that his mind had drifted. Drifted to matters far more _imperative _than drills and due processes he had been versed in numerous times. He was the choreographer, couldn't she at least cut _him _some slack? Alas, that was probably too much to ask for. His beauteous daydreams of a certain brunette basketball god were forced into confinement until the sun set on the horizon and black ruled the sky. Of course, they could only be just that, right? There was no way _Troy Bolton _of all people could possibly reciprocate feelings of such unholy origin. It would be considered blasphemy among their peers for the boy that legions of them worshipped to commit an act of such a sinful nature as having feelings for another boy.

Troy Bolton himself was not as ecstatic about his status as resident god of East High as his worshippers. Sure, popularity had its perks, endless crowds of people dropping down on their hands and feet, begging you to even cast a glance their way. Hordes upon hordes of supporters, people that didn't even know him personally on stand by, ready to scream his name out without any other purpose or intent than to prove how loyal they were. Ah, yes, there was nothing better than having crowds of people watching and following his every move, absorbing every decision he made and picking it into little pieces for closer examination. Oh, and the limitations on what he could or couldn't do, after all, he had to put his reputation first. Yes, everyone wanted to be Troy Bolton. Except Troy Bolton. As the brunette fixed his eyes on a certain decadently dressed blond, he came to the revelation that popularity really was overrated. 

_Troy finished bringing the blonde to a stop in his arms, but as it came time for _her spin across the stage, his foot dragged, throwing both himself and drama queen Sharpay Evans off balance.

"What was that?!" Sharpay demanded, more concerned with her pride than her own physical condition.

"I tripped." Troy offered weakly.

Sharpay threw her hands to her sides, voicing her frustration in a growl of fury. _No one, _Troy Bolton or otherwise would make her look like a fool in her last musical production at East High. A couple of rookies to the drama department looked up in alarm, unaccustomed to the way the girl functioned. "Ryan, deal with this!" She gestured pointedly to Troy, as if he were an object rather than a person. Stomping off on her open-toed, glittering stilettos, she went to her "personal assistant" a blonde Britanian transferee in her sophomore year, with a name so horrible it could only be as phony as its owner, Tiara Gold.

Ryan could only shake his head, resisting the urge to throw a rankled look the girls' way. It was even more of a challenge to conceal the smile holding the joy he harbored as he walked over to take his place beside the taller brunette boy.

"Kelsi." Ms. Darbus looked to the quiet brunette girl, and the composer complied, picking up the chords of the song from where Troy and Sharpay left off. Linking hands, the two boys fell naturally into the rhythm, their steps matched, their timing flawless. When the trouble spot arrived, the choreographer and the athlete executed the twirl smoothly, dazzling their audience.

Jimmie Zara, an over zealous addition to the basketball team, and having a serious case of hero worship for its captain, whose role he was the understudy for, even went so far as to cheer for his idol, earning a half-hearted glare from Ms. Darbus.

"Bravo, boys!" The teacher congratulated the pair, whom seemed quite pleased with themselves. "Well done. You could learn a thing or two from them yourself, Ms. Evans."

Sharpay let out a scoff, preferring to sulk. Tiara shared her companion's bitterness, turning up her nose at the praise the boys received.

"Let's move on to the final number." Ms. Darbus declared, gesturing dramatically with her hand.

Once again, Kelsi immediately obeyed her instructor's orders. Everyone else on stage skittered frantically about to get in their places. Eyes focused on other things, they all failed to see the secretive smile the drama boy and their revered golden boy shared, a smile meant only for one another. Perhaps Troy's little mishap was not so unintentional after all….

Chad Danforth jogged up on the side of his friend, concerned with the manner in which the boy's blue eyes were fixed blankly on nothing. "You alright, dude?"

It took Troy a moment to respond, his thoughts filled with images of the pale skin, glittering blue eyes, and luscious ruby lips belonging to the theater king. "Huh?" Gazing at his best friend's face, recognition flickered in his eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Well, I'm kinda worried, dude. You know, you've been," Chad paused, then resumed warily, testing the waters, "… different since…"

Troy blinked, discerning that he was being spoken to about something that should have held a position as a top priority for him. _He's talking about Gabriella. _ "Yeah.." He answered. There was sincere concern in Chad's brown eyes, and he did not want to plague his carefree friend's bushy haired head with unnecessary worry on his behalf. "But don't worry about it, man. I'm fine with it. Seriously."

Chad gave him a skeptical look. "You sure?"

"Absolutely." Troy replied. He was great, really. Why did people worry about him? Then again, Ryan had done his own fair share of worrying for Troy's sake after the jock's relationship with his girlfriend simply dissolved. Everyone expected him to take it hard, be down and out with grief. He and Gabriella were East High's "perfect" couple. But really, he had gotten over it fairly quickly. Things simply didn't work out. Gabriella was going to Stanford, one thousand miles away from her friends and boyfriend in Albuquerque. Neither one of them could deal with the long distance soap opera their relationship had become, and Gabriella was way too clingy, making it a daily ritual to sob to him on the phone about her inability to say goodbye. He had grown tired of it. Of her.

He needed a constant, and he certainly wasn't finding it with her. Then there were eyes of blue and the flash of a smile from an angel, and somehow everything was fine again.

"If you're sure, dude."

"Positive man." Troy smiled, void of any sort of telltale traces of pain that most would carry after a break-up with someone they seemed so happy with. You can't always accept things for the way they appear to be on the surface.

"There are principles you have to follow, Troy." Ryan reminded the brunette, chuckling softly.

"Like what?" Troy asked, his boyish grin brimming with amusement, his eyes glowing with affection.

The blond could feel his heart lurch in a way that was not unpleasant. The two of them had been discussing prom. Although Ryan had been toying with the idea of escorting Kelsi, Troy Bolton was now the most desired bachelor on campus. He would be a fool to refuse such _perfection. _His heart, and his body simply wouldn't allow it. Of course, he couldn't give Troy the delusion that he was easy. "Well, asking someone for starters." He suggested, biting his lip.

Troy drew in closer until his heavenly masculine aroma wreathed about the shorter boy. Ryan could feel his loins give a sharp ache that was reciprocated with equal intensity in his chest. "Well then, I guess I'll just have to ask." The golden boy whispered, his pink lips hovering over the succulent red lips of the Evans boy.

Ryan's eyes were half closed, his lips parted in invitation.

"Will you…" Troy began.

"Yes?" Ryan prompted softly, daring to hope.

"Ryan Evans,"

Twining his arms around the other boy's strong neck, Ryan's breath hitched in his throat. His grip tightened, pulling the brunette in closer.

"Be my date for the senior prom?" Troy's thumbs were tracing the little circles on his pelvis that he loved so much.

Peering into the ocean blue orbs of the basketball god revealed only sincerity. Leaning in, Ryan left gentle bites along his earlobe, welcoming the groans of satisfaction from Troy's throat. Because he knew that Troy was oh-so-sensitive there. Only he had this affect on Troy. Only he knew just where to focus his talents to earn a yelp or a moan from the god-like boy that made his entire body tingle. Unlike it had been with Troy and Gabriella, they shared the pleasure of their experiences. Troy and Gabriella had only shared a kiss. Desire burned in his stomach, and Ryan continued, making his way slowly, intentionally to Troy's lips. "Yes." He whispered between kisses. "Nothing would make me happier. But…"

Troy tensed. He did not like "buts", although he did have quite an attraction to the drama king's rear.

"Are you sure you're prepared to deal with _them_?" Ryan's eyes flitted away from Troy's face to the space around them. The other people. Outside of the safety of their bubble, the world was a hateful place, filled with people who would sooner spit on you than look at you. Whom reserved kind words for their friends and loved ones, and gave everyone else as much regards as they would the piece of dog defecation that they stepped in strolling down the sidewalk. And if you happened to have the misfortune of falling for another boy…

Well, Ryan could vouch for that.

As far as Troy was concerned, he could care less about people that thought he was better off when he had to put up with Gabriella's selfishness, and put his own dreams on the back burner. The people whom considered Ryan, his angel from above, evil, could fuck off and go to hell.

Ryan only cared about the well being of the being of the being of divinity that held him in his arms. He had been putting up with shit his entire life, and although it would be easier with someone by his side, he didn't know if he could handle those sick people getting their despicable, conniving, twisted hands on Troy.

There was no hint of fear in Troy's voice as he answered firmly, "Let them try to mess with us."

It was exactly what Ryan wanted to hear.

"Did you have any luck getting that music out of Kelsi?" Sharpay asked, her lips pursed in that way that has always struck fear in her brother's heart.

Ryan drew in a breath."…Shar? I'm gay."

"And?" She was now in her no-nonsense posture, a stance that would send a message to any sane man that whatever point he had to make was of no relevance or importance.

_Seducing girls is immoral. I don't even like her that way. I'm going with someone else. _He opened his mouth to let his sister know that he had other plans, but allowed the words to form and die on his lips. Maybe if he had a spine, he wouldn't give in like he always did. He could stand up to everything else, why was his sister so difficult? _If Troy was here…_ He couldn't rely on Troy for everything… although he admitted to himself that everything was easier with the brunette at his side. There was no pressure to give into, no demands to meet.

"You're an _actor, _Ryan. _Fake it._ Do what you have to do."

When Sharpay became hell-bent on something, there was no talking her out of it. Stardom was everything to her, and she would do anything in its name.

Ryan? What was he fighting for? What was his purpose, his drive? It was something, he knew. He could feel it. But as of now, it lacked a name. Although he knew for a fact that it did not concern disillusioned pre-Madonnas and shy, quiet girls that he was supposed to seduce. Perhaps it had to do with a certain athlete with a mop of shaggy, side-swept brunette hair that wanted to be with him for the person he was, not the person that someone else wished for him to be perceived as. For once, there was someone who cared about him without him hiding his true feelings behind a naïve smile. And he would give anything to be with that person, a constant at their side as long as life remained in his body in a no-strings-attached relationship. He was sure he felt the same.

_I would give you forever. I would reach out into the night sky, my hand enveloped in black velvet, and pluck up a few stars. Together, we would peer at their celestial light, and I would say that they can't compare to the beauty of your eyes…_

_…If only life was that simple… _


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **My dad saw the first part of this, and called it soft-core porn. Huh. 

Stage II.

_As the days go by, I find myself cherishing the time I spend with you…_

_Each precious second, I want to absorb them, so if there's a chance that time changes us, I may look back on the memories we shared, and reminisce on who we were then…_

------------------------------------Reason To Be----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryan suppressed a grimace, cursing under his breath. Four times. It had been _four _times now that his sister had abandoned him in the parking lot, opting instead to give her newest little peon a lift home. "Damn that British bitch!" He growled. Sharpay _knew. _She _knew _that his moped was in at the shop, but she chose to neglect the fact that if she didn't give her brother a ride, he would be without a means of getting home, unless he decided to bring the trend of hitchhiking back around. "So much for the freedom of adulthood." Ryan muttered satirically. What good was making your own decisions if someone else had to be depended on to hold up their end of the bargain?

As he paced up and down the area his twin's pink convertible had occupied twenty minutes earlier, a droplet of water plinked down on his nose. "Great. Just fucking _marvelous_!"As luck would have it, and in Ryan's case, his luck was usually rotten, anyway, if only to make matters worse, it began to rain. Water quickly seeped through his clothing, chilling the flesh that lay within. It may have been spring, but the weather was still fairly unpredictable. Hugging his arms to his chest in an effort to keep his body temperature from plunging into the subzero range, he forced himself to try and think positive. _ It could be worse. I could actually _be _in the same vehicle as Sharpay and Tiara._ The mere thought made him shudder. A quick glance around the parking lot proved relatively fruitless. There were no other cars in sight as far as he could see. "I am _sooo _fucked."

A noise, so familiar materialized out of the dreary, dismal atmosphere. Blinking as a blinding white light met his eyes, he placed his hand over his blue orbs and could just distinguish a pair of headlights. The source of the sound was the blearing of a car horn. "Ryan!"

Ryan could hardly believe his ears, and nearly convinced himself the voice stemmed from a bout of insanity he had unknowingly succumbed to. His heart leapt into his throat. "Troy?"

"Hop in! It's freezing out here!" Troy called over the roar of the downpour and the shaky, uneven purr of his hand-me-down pickup's engine.

The drama boy knew better than to question this stroke of fortune. Forcing his stiffened joints to bend, he moved toward the vehicle, walking past the glare of the headlights. When he arrived, Troy was already holding the passenger door open for him.

The golden boy had not failed to notice the tremors that passed over the blond's body as he climbed into the passenger seat. His exposure to the chill obviously was not with out its adverse effects. Reaching over, he turned the dial of the heater up to full blast attempting to help the boy warm up. _Wouldn't want him catching pneumonia, or hypothermia. Then I'd have to blame myself. _"Sharpay?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah." Ryan replied through chattering teeth.

That one word sufficed as an explanation for the theater king's current situation. It also sufficed to give Troy a sudden rush of heated anger at the self-absorbed drama queen. What could she be thinking, leaving her brother out in the cold? A scowl darkened Troy's features, and Ryan did not like the dark thoughts the expression foretold of.

"Troy." He said softly.

Immediately, the brunette's attention was back on him. Looking his companion up and down, Troy recalled the first thing to do in situations such as these. If people were going to see him as a hero, he should at least do something deserving of he title. "Let's get you out of these wet clothes."

Ryan flushed, the red bringing a bit of color, of life back to his face. Troy had seen that flush of red so many times, and tried to block out the circumstances that incited such intimacy. He had to focus on the Ryan here and now that was freezing his lovely, round ass off while his so-called hero was thinking about getting head.

Obeying, Ryan began to unbutton his dress shirt, his slender body still shaking. Troy wouldn't have it. This was taking too long. After Ryan got to the third button, Troy removed the blond male's hat, then yanked sopping garment off, over his head, and tossed it onto the floor. The same went for the boy's other two shirts and then Troy popped Ryan's fly open once he had the belt that accompanied it safely out of harm's way. It was another trick that he had perfected under, "certain circumstances".

Now, East High's theater king sat there in his boxers, goosebumps on his arms. His shivering began to die down as the heater; one of the things that Troy could still rely on in his traveling scrap heap worked its charms on him. Of course, Troy knew that the heater alone was not enough. Without a second thought, the athlete removed his own jacket and held it out to the performer. "Here, Ry."

Ryan reached over and took the heavy, lined material. As he tugged on one sleeve, Troy assisted him with the other. "Thank you." He murmured, attempting a smile with his quivering lips that were slowly returning to their lovely shade of ruby.

"Are you better?" Troy asked, his tone border lining parental as always.

Ryan felt horrible for the way he luxuriated in the undivided attention Troy gave him. After watching Sharpay bask in all the glory, the affection, the men for so long, it was exhilarating to have someone give _him, _the lesser twin, the weaker twin what he had secretly yearned for with an insatiable appetite. "Almost."

"How about now?" Troy leaned in, and pressed his lips tenderly to the smaller boy's. Ryan could hear himself vocalizing his sublime feeling of euphoria as warmth dispersed throughout his form. It was warmth that only the golden boy, only Troy could generate. A special heat that was his signature. Neither one would question their instincts when their animalistic sides seized control, but it always seemed natural that Troy was the one that dominated. Ryan was far from submissive, however… As East high's god himself would tell people, the male half of the Evans twins was very feisty, and could be just as fierce and menacing as his sister when provoked.

Troy's hands, always so warm, worked their way around Ryan's trim, petite body, pulling him into an embrace. Resting against the cozy, muscular heat of the former basketball team captain's chest, the blond allowed himself to feel secure, vulnerable, safe. He kissed and nipped dotingly at the taller boy's tanned neck, practically purring. "I always feel so happy, so safe with you." He observed quietly.

"Me too." The brunette agreed.

It was times like this, when his heart was a-flutter, stirring with feelings he had worked so diligently to repress, that he began to question what he would do without Troy. As he began to grow accustomed to whatever he shared with this perfect being, a feeling of dread wormed its way in. _Graduation's only a few weeks away. _It reminded him insidiously. _You'll be going to schools on opposite sides of the country. How will you cope then?_

He didn't want to think about that now. He didn't want to think about anything. The only thing that he wanted to be bothered to ponder was this glorious feeling that Troy gave him, and how he didn't want it to dim, suffocated by doubt. He wanted to keep the flames of the fire that had been kindled burning strong.

----------------------------------_Don't Let go_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two orbs of shimmering blue, containing all the beauty of the summer sky, gazed into the ocean colored eyes of Troy Bolton, peering into his soul. Smooth ivory skin touched his underneath his blankets. For the sake of his overnight guest, Troy had his mother get the comforter out of the closet where it was usually stored until it became a necessity in the winter months.

Ryan had called his sister a bit earlier that evening to inform her of his whereabouts so that she would not frantically phone the police and order a search begin throughout the city for him. After he had assured his twin to calm down several times, the blond wished her goodnight and then snuggled under the covers with his wonderful host.

Jack and Lucille Bolton had both raised an eyebrow when their son brought home another boy whom was barely clothed. It was still too early after Gabriella's departure to begin seeking another partner. The fact that he had changed sexes of his potential mates was also a bit unsettling, but neither parent said anything to upset their son. Instead, they did their best to make Ryan feel welcome. He was such a nice boy, not to mention terribly attractive, and when Mrs. Bolton saw the pitiful state he was in, her maternal instincts kicked in almost instantaneously. Jack Bolton, Troy's former coach as well as his father, congratulated his boy for responding so quickly in the face of a potentially life-threatening situation once Ryan had explained the rescue.

For Troy it was reward enough to see that Ryan was going to survive, and his parents were accepting him as one of the family. An honorary Bolton. _This makes it even easier on me when the time comes to pop the question. _He mused with an internal smile.

-----------------------------_Reason to Be_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Does that feel good?" Troy asked, tracing the indent of Ryan's lean back. His voice was soft, husky, once more.

"Yes." Ryan purred, his face flushed in an expression of delight.

Troy began to knead into the smaller boy's muscle, inquiring. "My parents were nice, huh?"

"Yeah. They gave me a warm welcome. After they looked at me like I was some sort of prostitute."

The brunette let out a laugh. "Yeah, it probably wasn't a good idea to let them see you only half clothed. "

"You're the only one allowed." Ryan's voice was so quiet, his comment was almost non-existent. But Troy heard it nonetheless. He always did.

His face reddened, Troy leaned in, kissing at Ryan's neck just as the blond had done for him while they were still in the vehicle. "Would you call it jealousy?"

"I don't mind." Turning around, Ryan caught Troy's lips with his own. Troy pulled the other boy into him, knowing that he couldn't resist him anymore. Ryan's defenses were dropping as well, for he deepened the kiss, his tongue parting the pink lips of the golden boy and massaging the pink muscle that lay waiting for him within.

"Ohhh… Ryan." Troy groaned, his loins aching, throbbing.

"Mmm.." The blond moaned into the kiss.

Seizing hold of Ryan's hips, Troy passed a silent signal to the other boy, and he began to grind his powerful pelvis into the tent in his roommate's boxer shorts that had not escaped his attention. This time was different. It seemed more intimate, more meaningful than their previous encounters, and so it registered in their minds as such.

Ryan slowly opened his eyes, looking into Troy's, who met the stare with a warmth in his gaze that far surpassed friendship. He could feel a smile spread across his face, giving him the confidence to move back in.

Their kisses became more intense, heated, but they were no longer driven by lust. As their t- shirts came off, and their boxers followed, they made sure to maintain eye-contact with one another.

"Please, Troy." The angelic drama king pleaded when he reached the point that he could resist no longer. "I need it. I need _you_."

Troy ceased his trail of open-mouthed kisses on the boy's abdomen, and nodded. "Alright, Ry." He could never refuse him when he pleaded like this. He entered the blond slowly, allowing his thrusts to meld together. Beneath him, moans rose out of the throat of the performer that held a melodious quality.

Clutching the inside of Troy's thighs, he begged the basketball god, "Harder…. Oh, faster! Troy! ... Troy, please!!"

Troy let out a frenzied yell, his hands traveling up the slender creamy fleshed body of the other boy, clenching his shoulders as together, their bodies unified. This wasn't simply sex. This was something deeper, creating a heat, a glorious intensity in their chests they had yet to experience. "UGH!" Troy cried. "Ohhh, fuck, Ryan!" His panting increased as Ryan bucked his hips, riding his length. He could feel his climax building, and he thrusted harder, harder still clinging to the boy that had become his rock. "Ryan!! Oh, Ryan!!!"

"Troy!" Ryan clamped down on a scream. He was arriving at his own climax, and one final, powerful thrust sent both of them over the edge.

Clinging fast to one another, they came hard. "I love you. I love you." Ryan whimpered, dazed, breathless, intoxicated. The words were foreign, unfamiliar, but they flowed so naturally out of his mouth. When there was no response but a blank stare from the recipient of his words, regret, sharp as thorns, pierced his chest. He was so stupid, how could he say such a thing without thinking? _No wonder everyone favors Sharpay. I'm such an idiot. _

Troy pulled away, unsure how to react. Then, he felt a fluttering in his chest that had been absent when Gabriella spoke those exact words to him.

"I'm sorry." Ryan whispered. Sitting up, he made to leave the bed. "I…I should go."

This snapped the brunette out of his reverie. Pain glazed the blond's blue eyes, and Troy realized with a lurch of his own heart that the Evans male was preparing himself for rejection. _Stupid!_ He snapped at himself. _Damn it, say something!_ Instinctively, he reached out, and grabbed Ryan's arm. "Ryan!"

Biting his lower lip, Ryan was afraid to face the boy. Afraid to see this -whatever it was he shared with him- meet his demise. Reality was often too harsh to face, and that was why he hid behind his profession, living in another world. Embodying someone else.

"Ryan, Ry, _please._" Troy was pleading with him. "Don't go."

Letting his defenses lower once more, Ryan turned slowly around, warily raising his eyes to meet the brunette's. He couldn't handle this feeling of vulnerability. He didn't want his heart to be broken, his love cast out into the cold as he had been fearing all along. For a moment, they sat there, staring into one another's eyes, searching, perhaps, for the answers to all of the world's problems. In the ocean blue orbs of Troy Bolton, there was but one answer, and it was the only one that mattered.

"I love you, too, Ry." Moving forward, he captured Ryan's red lips with his. With but a moment's hesitation, Ryan was soon kissing him back, ecstasy flowing into his heart, spilling over in the form of silent tears that streaked down his porcelain cheeks.

Troy held the blond, _his _Ryan, _his_ angel in his arms neither of them desiring to ever let go.

_If you were intangible, like a snowflake in the grasp of fire, I would place you in a jar, never letting you slip through my fingers._

_I would do anything for you to remain mine and mine alone for this instant in the ever-expanding time line of eternity that we exist together._

_Don't' reject me. Don't refuse me. Hold tight to me, and make me your own. _


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **This story was written through a different process than my other HSM stories on this site. Usually, I write my stories out in a spiral notebook before typing them up. With this one, I'm conjuring the words while I type. I hope that slight alteration doesn't bother or offend any of my usual readers. I know this one is vastly different. I'm testing out variations on the way that Troy and Ryan became a couple. I apologize if this version of the events leading to their union is not quite up to par with Scream or Adolescente Amore', but fret not. I shall resume with the conclusions of those stories very soon. And, sorry for taking up your time with this horrendously long author's note. 

Now, onward!

**Warnings: **Slash, male on male action. Check the rating!

**Plot Summary: **Ryan does what we've all been waiting for him to do. I own nothing except the plotline itself, which, in actuality, is based off of something by Disney anyway. I guess it goes to show that they really _do_ own everything, huh?

Stage III.

_You're breaking me down._

_I'm beginning to see that the only way for an absolution to exist is through my own hands. _

_You are my power, my soul._

_And through that which has come to be called "us", we can make a perfect world._

---------------------------------------Reason To Be----------------------------------

Troy settled into the driver's seat of his pick-up, his eyes rolling and his face flushed in unadulterated, one of a kind pleasure. His fingers curled themselves into the gelled blond locks of theater king, Ryan Evans. "Ohh…" He moaned sotto voce, his manhood sliding in and out of the boy's skilled mouth. He clenched the armrest, feeling his length give a twitch in warning. "Mmmph… Ryan!" His body jerked forward. "Ah… ah, Ry… Ry…" He panted. He was so close now. The orgasm was building, building… A final flick of Ryan's tongue over the shaft and his release exited his body, accompanied by a loud groan that filled the cockpit-no pun intended-of the vehicle. Everything relaxed, his muscles going limp as he laid back against the seat for support. He simply _had _to find out where Ryan learned to do that with his mouth. _It would be goddamn criminal if I didn't. _

Slowly, Ryan pulled his head up from where it had been nestled between the athlete's legs. His eyelashes fluttered lazily over his blue eyes, his pale face flushed a light pink. Troy helped the blond performer onto his lap, holding him and kissing him tenderly. "That was amazing, babe." He waited a moment as Ryan snuggled into the fabric of his clingy white shirt, giving the pet name a moment to test itself out. "You don't mind if I call you that, do you?" He never ventured into the pet name territory with Gabriella, and was navigating the terrain of such commitment for the very first time with Ryan.

"Not at all." Ryan smiled that smile that could always light up the room, and made Troy's day no matter how rough, always seem that much better, that much easier.

Troy returned the smile with a lopsided grin.

Reaching over the armrest, Ryan took hold of his hat and running a hand through his hair, placed the denim fedora back on his head, and then busied himself with smoothing out the wrinkles on the brunette's shirt. "I like it." He remarked, still smiling softly. A dulcet humming rose out of his throat, and both of them couldn't remember the last time they felt so at peace with the unruly, confounding universe. Time was running out. Every second they spent with one another was becoming too emotionally intrinsic to let go to waste. College loomed ominously just around the corner, taunting them as it spoke of separation that seemed inevitable. When they were together, they could forget all the things attempting to wrench them apart, and become captivated by one another's blue eyes, absorbed in each other's smile.

Troy ran his hand up and down Ryan's back.

A bell rang in the distance, and both of them gazed at the clock mounted in the dashboard. 8:05.

"Time to go, Ry." Troy murmured.

"I know." Ryan slid into the passenger seat with a sigh. Turning, he gazed into the brunette golden boy's eyes. "Are you sure you're ready to deal with this? With them?"

Thought was not required. Troy extended his strong appendage to the performer. "As long as you're with me."

His eyes sparkling, Ryan placed his hand in the taller boy's. And he would be damned if he was letting go.

---------------------------------_Together, We Are Unconquerable_----------------------------

Troy spun Ryan around, their execution once again, flawless, as everything else proved to be for them. As the twirl brought the blond male to a halt in front of him, their eyes met.

The drama boy found himself silently willing that Troy would grasp the move before his twin's intervention.

The athlete didn't _want_ the partner change. He didn't _want_ to dance with the drama queen sister of the boy he loved. He stepped closer to Ryan, voicing this feeling of desperation, his turmoil aloud. "You're easier to dance with than she is."

Ryan could read the truth of the statement as it was reflected in the golden boy's eyes. He opened his mouth, longing to give him a reply, some form of reassurance. Instead, they were wrenched apart as Sharpay forced her way through.

"Uh, my turn." The elder twin broke in, leaving no room for argument. She was always so conclusive, so demanding, ensuring that all the attention, all the love was given to her alone, bottom line. No one else could share her spotlight, not even her own twin brother.

Troy recoiled slightly as the blond female fingered his chest, looking to Ryan, helpless and bewildered. His physical prowess and good, honest intentions amounted to nothing in the face of Sharpay Evans. This was the stage, her department, her throne, and even the basketball god, loved and adored by all was rendered practically powerless against her.

Ryan would not tolerate it. He loved his sister, no power on earth could change that, but he was exasperated. He couldn't lose Troy to her, he wouldn't stand-by and let her snatch away what meant the most to him. His fists clenched, his slender body began to shake, and gazing up at his twin, his soft blue eyes hardened, glinting like ice. "No!" He protested.

Everyone in the room looked up in expectation of a showdown between the two wealthy, blond, designer dressing twins. The gorgeous queen of East High and her heavily ostracized brother.

Sharpay's eyes narrowed, shock and surprise behind her usually fierce, calculating gaze. "'No?'" She repeated, aghast at her subordinate's questioning of her. Casting a look around her, she quickly shrouded her disturbance with a guise of irascibility. "What do you mean, 'no'?" She snarled softly.

_Troy is mine. You can't have him. He doesn't want you. I have feelings too. _So many methods of self-justification once again formed and died on his lips. But this time was different. This time, he knew what he was fighting for. His drive, his purpose, was there at long last, staring at him with ocean blue eyes that peered directly into his soul. His body was motivated; his legs lean from years of devotion to dancing propelling him down stage left to where the virile brunette athlete stood.

Troy could perceive the resolve, blazing like cold fire in Ryan's eyes. He _knew _what action he was going to take, and drew forward, absolving to assist him in his effort of retaliation. Reaching one another, their arms flung about each other, their lips pressing together.

A wave of stupefaction rose up from the onlookers as the personas of their god and the drama fag melded together, merging before their very eyes. The two boys kissed longingly at each other's lips, their tongues infiltrating through parted lips as they clung tightly to one another.

Sharpay stumbled backward, reeling in disbelief. Her brown eyes turned to the blue green of Kelsi's, searching for some sort of answer. The brunette girl could only muster up the strength and logic to give a meager shrug. Her brother and _Troy Bolton_??!! What did she miss? How could she not have known?! She knew everything about Ryan. Or so she thought.

Flushed, the two boys rubbed their pelvises together, moaning into the kiss. Love burned intensely in their eyes. "I love you, Troy." Ryan whispered tenderly, breaking off, the icy anger softened back into a sweet sparkle.

"I love you, too, Ry." Troy wrapped his arms about the boy, taking him into an embrace, encompassing him.

"Dude… whoa." The remark came from Chad, who stood next to an equally floored Taylor McKessie.

The twosome took solace in the presence and the warmth of each other. Whether their relationship was immoral, or a sin was no longer of any relevance.

"How does this feel?" Troy asked, speaking of the sudden publicity their relationship had attained in such a short amount of time.

"It feels right." Ryan answered, burying his face in the warm crook of the golden boy's neck. It did. Nothing had ever felt more perfect.

"Well." Ms. Darbus remarked, adjusting her spectacles. "It seems we have some adjustments to make to our script."

----------------------------Reason To Be----------------------------------------------------------

"How do lavender corsages sound?" Troy inquired, the warm weight of his boyfriend's head on his stomach as the two of them laid sprawled out on Ryan's bed.

"Hmmm…" Ryan mulled it over, his slender finger tracing the indents of the former basketball team captain's compact, sculpted six-pack abs. His blue eyes flitted slightly to the walls of his sleeping quarters, which were a soft shade of lavender. "I think lavender would be lovely."

"Do you now?" Troy asked, a playful smirk spreading across his face.

"Yes, I do." Ryan returned, his features lit up with amusement. "I happen to think lavender is a _very_ sexy color."

"Well, I have to say I agree." Troy positioned himself upright enough to gaze into the blond's eyes. "And do you know what else I think is sexy?"

"What?" Ryan prompted in a sultry tone, his eyelashes fluttering demurely.

The athlete's lips hovered only centimeters from the actor's. "… You." He whispered, bringing his lips down over top of the angelic blond's. Ryan surrendered himself to the needy kiss, Troy initiating the tongue-to-tongue contact.

"Mmm…" Ryan murmured between the smacking of joined lips. "You're sexier."

"No… You are, babe…You're… so… much sexier." Troy had Ryan's t-shirt lifted far up, enough so that his blemish free, creamy ivory skin was exposed. His hand crept up under the linen, and took hold of the bud of one pink nipple, squeezing it, evoking a lovely yelp from the boy's throat.

"Ohh, god, Troy… mmph, the things you do to me should be considered criminal…"

Troy grinned sexily. "Then someone better call the cops."

"Ohh, yeah… Lock us up and throw away the key…" He tangled his fingers in Troy's thick, silky locks of shaggy brunette hair. The action wasn't required to make him go back in for more. Ryan was his drug, his personal addiction, and he needed the other boy for his own survival. Their lips locked once again, voracious, lascivious.

"White and black tuxedos, right?" Troy lifted his shirt up, and Ryan, taking hold of the ends of the cotton t, helped him remove it and cast it to the ground.

"The fallen and the corrupted. Sounds about right." Ryan now worked at undoing the buttons of the vest that he wore over his periwinkle, pinstriped dress shirt.

"There is no sweeter corruption than by an angel." Troy murmured, never taking his eyes off of the blond's. His hands found their way to his belt buckle, and worked at pulling the strip of leather out of the metal that contained his boyfriend. Boyfriend. Who knew such a word could hold such boundless wonder in its two syllables?

-------------------------_Let None Stand Between Us_-------------------------------------------

A note was taped to Troy's locker that morning when Ryan entered school. Faget, it read in all capital letters, written by an obviously unskilled hand in sloppy manuscript. And although he longed to remove the stigma, however uncouth, from his beloved's location of storage, a location where such a desecration was out in the open for all to see, he knew that Troy would prefer it be left there to be dealt with. Shortly, the brunette rounded the corner, strolling casually, hands in his pockets. Spotting the blond standing at his locker, he wandered over and read the degrading message on spiral notebook paper.

"Is that the best they can do?" Ryan wondered aloud. "This certainly falls short of my expectations of their demoralizing capabilities. Granted, I wouldn't want you to _ever_ experience them."

"Maybe they're starting to realize that there's no point. What are they gonna earn by ostracizing us when graduation's only about a week away? And as far as "ostracizing" goes, this is pretty pathetic."

"Yeah." Ryan voiced his affirmation, filled with simultaneous anger and relief that battled inside of him. Anger, that someone actually had the nerve to attempt desecration, poor as their attempt maybe, of the golden boy, and relief that Troy was unbothered by the ignorance of his peers.

"Well, no sense getting upset." Snatching the note up, Troy balled it up and tossed it into a wastebasket with a flick of the wrist. "Try all they want…" He turned, curling a finger under his lover's chin. "they can never make me give you up." His vow was liquid fire in the ocean blue of his eyes.

"They'll have to pry you from my cold, lifeless fingers." Ryan whispered hotly, his words bullets that rained from a mouth of petal soft lips.

---------------------------------------------------

They ignored the stares their union drew as they walked through the hallways hand in hand, stride for stride. Some of their peers could hardly contain their disgust, muttering derogatory phrases under the guise of coughs as the brunette and blond twosome strode past. Others proactively voiced their support, girls sighing dreamily and other athletes pledging their protection, to which Troy and Ryan could show only gratitude.

Chad was relieved that Troy had finally sorted out his inner turmoil, and was happy that he had chosen a mutual friend as his consort. "You two just keep the P.D.A. to a minimum, okay?" He had told his best friend good-naturedly. "You wouldn't wanna get expelled before prom for playing tonsil tennis, right?"

Troy laughed awkwardly, trying to no avail to hide his embarrassment. "Yeah. Wouldn't want that."

Taylor had been relatively upset at first, her loyalty to Gabriella causing her to feel vexation that the golden boy had moved on so quickly with his girlfriend's presence lacking. But eventually, it had sunk in, particularly due to some softening up courtesy of her bushy-haired boyfriend, that the two boys had felt this way about one another all along, and it had just taken them time to realize it for themselves. And, besides, as an advanced member of society, no discriminatory feelings had ever been present to begin with, and she quickly absolved that their relationship deserved a place of honor in the EHS Yearbook, and as chief of the Yearbook Committee, she had all the power to make it possible.

Kelsi decided with the slightest bit of regret that she was going to have to search for another date for prom, as Ryan simply wasn't an option, but in the meantime, she could work in some songs for the happy couple, change up the original Troy and Gabriella duets and let Ryan work in some inventive, creative new moves to match the tempo. "We make a good team." She had told the blond, her voice soft, "but somehow I don't think we would work out."

Ryan gave her a look with sympathetic eyes. "No… we wouldn't. I think my love for Troy might pose a bit of a problem." He laughed to lighten the mood.

The brunette girl couldn't summon the strength to imitate him. Losing such a person of beauty both outside and in was hitting her pretty hard. Ryan alone shared her love of music and the experience of being intimidated by Sharpay. For a brief instant, she felt the flame of jealousy toward Troy ignite, flaring in her stomach. She saw the happiness glowing on the blond male's porcelain face as he thought of the other boy, and just as quickly as it flared, it was extinguished. "Good luck." She whispered.

"You too." He smiled that beautiful smile, then turned smoothly, gracefully on his heels. Before he reached the door to exit the music room, he called back over his shoulder, "Chocolate brown eyes were always sweet for you… maybe blue's not your color."

---------------------------------------

Heads full of stars, Troy and Ryan posed for countless pictures taken by the delighted Evans patriarchs. Next to them, Sharpay and her beau, Zeke put on a full expose' for the flashing cameras.

"You all look so precious!" Derby Evans cooed.

"Straighten that posture, son." Vance Evans recommended with a flash of his own pearly white smile. "Fix the hat."

"Does he always say that to you?" Troy whispered discreetly.

"Hmm… only every time he catches me with the brim of my hat turned off to the side." Ryan replied, his beautifully photogenic smile never leaving his face, which caused his lover to muffle laughter.

"So, in other words, that's all the time, huh?"

"Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred sixty five days a year."

----------------------------------------

After hearing the usual lectures pertaining to the "big night", such as heading for a hotel when the hormonal needs became too powerful to sedate, intended in particular for Troy and Zeke, Mr. Evans had even offered condoms to endorse the practice of safe sex, the two pairs arrived via limousine at their high school.

Sharpay pulled Zeke off to dance before he could even catch up with his friends and classmates. Ryan, who caught a few guys ogling his sister reminded them with a bit of colorful language the manner in which their rather important pieces of anatomy would be severed from the rest of their bodies if they failed to keep their eyes on their dates. And Troy was his ever-willing re-enforcement. When the two of them took to the floor, they wowed their audience with a spectacle of dancing unlike any seen before. Every bit of the routine was completely synchronized and completely natural, rivaling even the best and most complex maneuvers. It was as though Troy Bolton and Ryan Evans were born to dance together.

But Ryan and Troy knew that they were born to do more than simply dance together. Rarely in life is one certain of such a thing as having a soul mate. The odds were even more rare of actually finding said soul mate. Fingers intertwined, Troy and Ryan twirled, no longer feeling as though they were stationary and the world was spinning around them. "If the chances were one in a million of finding someone like you, you would be that one, Ry."

Ryan's eyes sparkled, the words tugging his heartstrings and turning him to a walking, graceful pile of human mush and innards. "I love you." He choked out, a sob of euphoria welling in his chest.

"I love you too." Troy murmured, smiling the smile that Gabriella had taken from him. The smile that Ryan had single-handedly brought back.

_If there is such a thing as forever… maybe we'll find that we can harness it. _

_We'll stave off time and space… for no obstacle exists that may keep me from finding my way back into your arms…_

**A/N: Coming Up Next: **Stage IV. The Conclusion! Until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

Stage IV.

_There are truths in life that one must come to be aware of on their own…_

_In the case of finding an absolute truth, people will cling to it desperately, refusing to let go no matter the circumstance. _

_And I have come to realize truths of my own as of late…_

-----------------------------Reason to Be--------------------------------------------------------------------

Rehearsals had never been easier. Ryan proved his versatility and ability as a thespian time and time again taking on both Gabriella's role as well as his own. Ah, the uncanny ability of art to imitate life. Everything that had been so strenuous on Troy became so natural now that Ryan was the prominent figure in his life. He need only look into his boyfriend's clear, sky colored eyes and he became exactly who he needed to be… himself.

------------------------------

Following rehearsals found the two of them deeply involved in a session of intimacy, fingers running through one another's hair, tongues twining together as a symphony of moans rose from their throats. Bodies intertwining, the routine was a dance in itself.

"Ohh, Troy. Troy." Ryan purred, his tone of sweet desperation music to his lover's ears as the athlete adorned his throat with the symbols of his affection.

Troy couldn't help but let out a throaty moan as he ground his hips into the performer's, creating friction between the denim that clothed their lust-swollen members.

Clenching the other boy's sturdy shoulders, Ryan's cries became sharp yelps, begging Troy to go faster. "Aah! Aaaaah! Troy! Yeah…!"

Ryan was so needy when he got like this. His scent was ambrosial and completely intoxicating, and Troy loved him for it. Of course, Troy also knew that there was a time and place for deeper intimacy, and it certainly wasn't in the boy's bathroom during the lunch hour. And although his loins were aching in protest, he knew that this session would have to sate the both of them… at least until they could get to a bed…

---------------------------------

"Troy, come on bud. Universities all over the country are looking at you for one thing. You know what that is? Your game."

Troy stared at his father Jack. Their topic of conversation had more than exhausted itself.

"And besides, I'm sure Ryan will be pleased to know that you're taking his father's scholarship opportunity."

At the mention of the blond's name, Troy felt an ache in his chest that was so intense, it nearly brought him to his knees. _Ryan. If his parents are putting on this kind of pressure, by the time we're graduating he'll have his stuff packed for New York. _ "Dad, can we _please_ not talk about this?" Putting off the thoughts for so long only increased the initial pain that accompanied them. He couldn't bear the thought of the boy he loved being across the country from him. It was cruel and unfair, and he felt as though there should be some sort of cosmic law against such tragic separation.

"Troy, you've gotta start thinking about your future. U of A needs fresh talented players like you."

_No! NO!_ "I don't care what U of A needs!"

Jack and Lucille stared wide-eyed at their son's out burst.

"_Ryan _is my future. _I _need _him_!" Hot tears stung Troy's blue eyes, a lump constricting in his throat, tightening his breathing. His vision blurred and his mother drew forward, tightly embracing him as his father withdrew.

She stroked his hair comfortingly as she hadn't done since he was a boy. "Your father and I love you, Troy. We only want you to succeed. And Ryan loves you, too. No matter what you choose, he'll still love you."

Of course he could count on Ryan to provide eternal love. _It's _you_ I'm worried about. You and dad. Will you still love me unconditionally if I don't live up to what you want? _ The tears streaked down his face, but he turned away from his mother's comforting embrace, afraid to face the answer in her eyes.

--------------------------------

"Ryan, you can't pass up an opportunity like Julliard. It's the biggest, most renowned school in the country for elite performers like us. Anyone who wants to _be _someone starts their career at Julliard. " Sharpay proceeded in lecturing her brother.

Ryan held his head, his mind dancing with images of his brunette lover. Kisses of passion shared as the two of them stole away inside of empty classrooms, unoccupied restrooms, and storage closets. Every moment so dear to his heart had one person center stage beside him… _Troy. Embarking toward adulthood just won't be the same without him…_ His heart thudded, a lead weight in his chest. He wouldn't have it. He just wouldn't fucking have it. Without Troy his fragile heart would shatter into pieces. "Maybe New York's too big for me, Sis."

Sharpay gaped at her brother, her eyes widening as if he had sprouted a second head. "What are you talking about?!"

"I'm talking about my future and how I don't want to spend it in the Big Apple with my heart torn in two. Maybe you don't understand, Shar, but there's something in my life worth fighting for now… and I'm not giving him up." The male twin's blue eyes blazed, reflecting what he felt within. His muscles were tense, expecting a reprimand from his domineering twin.

Instead, Sharpay's gaze softened as she crossed to stand next to her brother. "You really love him, don't you, Ry?" She inquired, her voice hushed.

"More than life itself." He answered as if it was the most simple thing in the world.

Sharpay surprised her brother once more by leaning against him and whispering in his ear, "Then go get him, little brother."

Astonished, Ryan blinked, as if to assure himself that this was not a vision his desperate mind had conjured, but the smile on his sibling's lips effaced all of his worries. His fears displaced far behind him, he returned the smile with one of equal warmth and enthusiasm.

----------------------------------

"Chad, dude, what is it?" Troy laughed.

"No way. Keep your eyes shut, man." His friend protested, steering the brunette by one arm toward the auditorium. As the pair arrived at the entrance, Sharpay Evans gave the bushy-haired athlete an uncharacteristic grin.

"Everything set, Evans?" He prompted.

"As it'll ever be, Danforth." The drama queen replied, hardly able to contain her excitement.

"Who are you talking to?" Troy asked, cocking his head to one side to funnel the sound into his ears. "Is that Sharpay?"

"Alright, Troy." Chad cut him off. "You can go on in."

"What?" The taller male blinked his blue eyes open, obviously confused by his friend's words. To answer him, Chad and Sharpay both pointed to something that lay just within the double doors. His brows furrowed, Troy took the initiative and pushed the doors open. At the end of the room, a polished grand piano sparkled under the spotlight overhead. The instrument's beauty was incomparable to the beauty of the other occupant of the stage, however. Standing onstage, adorned in a sequined white dress shirt, matching fedora, and a pair of black dress slacks was none other than the love of Troy's life. "Ryan?" He called.

The radiance that swathed about the blond held an almost divine quality and the athlete felt his breath hitch in his throat. "Troy!" Ryan's voice was clear, filling the room without the assistance of a microphone. But then again, Troy could always hear him.

Clearing his head of thoughts of the boy in a long, flowing gown with feathery wings growing out of his back, Troy asked "Babe, what are you doing up there?"

"Troy, a love like this is one in a million. And even more special because we're both males." As he spoke, his lover made his way down the aisle to the base of the stage, extending a hand to the brunette. Ascending the stairs, Troy let Ryan lead him over to the magnificent instrument, his light voice flowing in and out of his ears, gentle as a summer breeze. "I can't let you go, Troy." Ryan murmured.

"Neither can I, Ryan." Troy vowed, watching silently as the performer took a seat on the piano stool. Notes resonating with intent and purpose flowed out of the keys under Ryan's gifted touch before his voice joined in, carrying a soft, soulful melody, slowing building in intensity;

_I wonder how _

_I ever made it through the day_

_How did I settle_

_For the world in shades of gray?_

_When you go in circles_

_All the scenery looks the same_

_And you don't know why_

_Then I looked into your eyes_

_Where the road stretched out in front of me_

_And I realized_

He gazed up from the keys into Troy's eyes. Blue met blue and the universe fell into place. Time slowed to a standstill and the world for Troy Bolton was a sweet melody and a lilting alto-tenor of angelic origin that sang words that reached right into the very foundations of his soul. Words of purest love and sincerity that came from the person that meant the most to him.

_I never lived_

_Before your love_

_I never felt_

_Before your touch_

Ryan's voice swelled with feeling more powerful than Troy had ever heard from Gabriella. _These words are coming from his heart. Ryan loves me more than anyone ever has. More than Gabriella._

_I never needed anyone _

_To make me feel alive_

_But, then again,_

_I wasn't really living_

_I never lived_

_Before your love_

His elegant, slender fingers gently striking the keys, Ryan picked up the next verse, and Troy felt as though his heart was going to burst with the feeling that was growing to proportions too enormous to contain.

_I wanted more_

_Than just an ordinary life_

_All of my dreams_

_Seemed like castles in the sky_

_I stand before you _

_And my heart is in your hands_

_And I don't know how_

_I survived without your kiss_

_'Cause you've given me_

_A reason to exist_

_I never lived_

_Before your love_

_I never felt_

_Before your touch_

_I never needed anyone _

_To make me feel alive_

_But, then again,_

_I wasn't really living_

_I never lived_

_Before your love_

_I never lived_

_Before_

_Your love_

Unconsciously, Troy found his body gravitating toward the blond's, his need to hold him, to feel him all encompassing and impossible to ignore. His arms wrapped themselves about Ryan's lean frame, clutching him as fervently as if his very life were dependent on it.

Leaning into the warmth of his love's virile chest, Ryan continued to play, hot tears of ecstasy welling in his eyes. His singing remained untouched, robust and stalwart, and teeming with emotion as he put aloud the wishes and longing of his heart.

_And I don't know why_

_Why the sun decides to shine_

_But you breathed your love into me_

_Just in time_

Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself to begin again, jolting with faint surprise as the rich, rough tenor-baritone of the golden boy took up the chorus from behind him, enveloping him in the thick, intoxication of his love.

_I never lived _

_Before your love_

_I never felt_

_Before your touch_

Ryan could only do what came naturally to him. Opening his mouth, he raised his voice and began singing his heart out with the boy he loved. Was "boy" accurate? _No, Troy is a man. The man that I want to spend the rest of my life with. My eternity shall be spent at his side. I'm Troy's. _Forever. The harmony that their blending pitches produced was like the purest liquid, vibrating with a resonating quality in the hall of the performers: the place where their love for one another had first come to light.

_I never needed anyone _

_To make me feel alive_

_But, then again,_

_I wasn't really living_

Choking on the intensity of his passion, Troy dropped out, his masculinity crumpling and dissolving as he buckled against the petite theater boy's back. This left Ryan to carry on his proclamation of his avidity solo. Now, that he had reached the piece's grand finale, the strength of his emotion had made itself apparent in his vocalization, causing his voice to quaver.

_I never lived_

_I never lived_

_Before_

_Your-_

He cut himself off with a gasp as Troy flipped him over and began kissing him madly until his head and the world around it spun. Sour notes rang out as their combined weight pressed down on the piano keys.

Finally, after what could have been several lifetimes, Troy gently pulled away and the two of them stared dotingly into one another's eyes, breathless.

"You're my reason to exist, Ryan. You're the reason that I'm everything that I am… everything you love…" Trailing off, the basketball god covered his lover's face in sweet kisses, relishing the low purrs that vibrated in his throat.

"I couldn't have asked for someone more perfect than you. " Ryan breathed. "The man that can best you doesn't exist…" A soft moan escaped his throat. "Ohh… I love you, Troy Bolton…!"

"I love you, too, Ryan Evans…" The words he could never say to his former girlfriend came so easily from his mouth now that he was with the drama fag of East High; _his_ Ryan.

-----------------------------------Reason to Be-------------------------------------------------

Everything that he and Gabriella shared, he shared with Ryan. Everything and more. So, Troy was not surprised when he climbed the stairs to his "secret place", the garden atop the roof at school and discovered the blond male staring off into the horizon, clutching a piece of paper, his expression pensive. "It's got a great view, doesn't it?" Troy called, the formality of a greeting not needed.

"You couldn't imagine." Ryan turned around, speaking intentionally, his gaze as well as his thoughts focused on something more than the mountain line and the exotic plants.

Troy smiled to himself as well as the blond. _Troy Bolton, you lucky son of a bitch. _He inwardly congratulated himself. Traversing the floor, he arrived at the boy's side. His heart was always ahead of his head, so he blurted out before he could advise himself otherwise in the most optimistic tone he could muster in light of the situation, "So, are you heading off for New York?"

Ryan smiled lightheartedly. It was a smile that reached his eyes. "New York can wait." He paused, then stepped in a bit closer as if it was scripted. _The pen is in my hands…_ Meeting the brunette's eyes, he spoke slowly, meaningfully so that every syllable counted, "I've got everything I want right here. What about you?"

Troy brushed the question off. His father would understand. That damn school had taken so much from him already. "I'll let Chad have all the fun of being a Red Hawk. " _And Chad will understand too. I'll make him. _Looking into Ryan's eyes, he felt so at ease with the world, almost invincible. And Ryan felt the same, as if they could take each other's hand and jump off the roof, soaring together in the endless expanse of the sky. "Wherever you are is the only place I wanna be."

His eyes glittering fondly, with more love than hr could ever have imagined having for another being, Ryan began the call this time, "I love you, Troy Bolton, no matter how much of a big old clichéd lug you are."

Troy grinned mischievously. "And I love you, Ryan Evans, no matter now much of a hedonistic nymphomaniac you are."

Ryan was so full of pride to hear such scholarly and impressive words leaving his lover's mouth. His smile never leaving his face, his closed the gap between them, nuzzling his nose against Troy's. "All that matters to me is that I'm _your _hedonistic nymphomaniac."

Troy couldn't remember ever feeling happier. Holding his Ryan in his arms, he answered him in the simplest way, not needing to be superfluous with his excessive, sappy phrases. "Same here, Ry… Same here."

_My self-truth is that I cannot exist without you. In all this world, there is one reason that I rise in the morning, one reason that I am able to wear a smile throughout the day and keep my fears, my sadness, my insecurities at bay. And is it is because of _you. You _are my reason to be. _

_In the morning, ten years from now, I want to find myself waking up with you beside me, smiling your smile that makes living that much easier and the world so much brighter. You are my reason to be, and I will never let you go. _

Fin.

**A/N: **I do not now, nor will I ever own anything pertaining to High School Musical nor the song "Before Your Love". 


End file.
